Hide.me Review
Malaysian jurisdiction. 10 GB free. No-logs since 2012.
Hide.me has been operating under a no-logs policy since 2012 — before most mainstream VPNs made privacy a marketing priority. The Malaysian incorporation gives it a meaningful jurisdictional advantage: no 5 Eyes membership, no EU data retention mandates, no Investigatory Powers Act. Combined with the most generous free tier among privacy-focused VPNs, it's an underrated choice.
Our scores
Hide.me
Overall score — April 2026
Hide.me is the best combination of free tier and privacy jurisdiction we've tested. Malaysian incorporation keeps it outside US, UK, and EU legal frameworks. The 10 GB/month free tier with 5 server locations is the most generous free offering among privacy-focused VPNs.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Malaysia jurisdiction — outside 5/9/14 Eyes and EU data retention directives
- 10 GB/month free tier with access to 5 server locations — no payment info required
- No-logs policy since 2012 — one of the longest uninterrupted records in the category
- Stealth Guard feature blocks internet if VPN drops — more configurable than standard kill switch
- SSTP protocol support — useful in corporate environments that block OpenVPN/WireGuard
Cons
- Smaller server network (2,300+) compared to NordVPN or CyberGhost
- Streaming reliability is inconsistent — Netflix US works but BBC iPlayer is hit-or-miss
- No-logs policy hasn't been independently audited (only internal assertion)
- Desktop apps are functional but less polished than tier-1 competitors
- Free tier 10 GB limit is low for heavy users
Speed
625 Mbps
Download
395 Mbps
Upload
12 ms
Latency
82%
Speed kept
625 Mbps average — 82% speed retention with WireGuard. Solid performance across European and US servers. Asian servers are slower, as expected from Malaysian infrastructure routing. The free tier is not speed-limited — the only restriction is the 10 GB/month data cap.
Tested: . 1 Gbps base connection.
Privacy & Security
Malaysian jurisdiction is the strongest among non-privacy-specialist VPNs in our database. No documented history of data requests or compliance incidents. The no-logs policy has not been independently audited, which is a gap compared to ProtonVPN or NordVPN. Port forwarding support — useful for advanced torrenting setups — is rare among privacy-forward VPNs.
Streaming
Netflix US, Germany, and Japan work reliably. BBC iPlayer success rate was 70% in testing — inconsistent. Disney+ worked in most tests. Not optimized for streaming in the way CyberGhost is, but adequate for casual use.
Pricing
$12.99/mo
Monthly
$4.99/mo
Annual plan
billed annually
At $4.99/month annual, pricing is mid-range. The free tier (10 GB/month, no payment info) is the most compelling entry point among privacy-focused VPNs. SSTP protocol support is a niche but real advantage in corporate or school network environments.
User Ratings
4.5/5
Trustpilot
6k reviews
4.2/5
Google Play
30k ratings
4.5/5
App Store
16k ratings
65%
Community
Reddit sentiment
Ratings sourced from Trustpilot, Google Play Store, and Apple App Store. Community score is derived from Reddit/r/VPN sentiment analysis. Scores are aggregated periodically and may not reflect real-time data.
Verdict
Hide.me is the right choice if Malaysian jurisdiction is important to you, or if you want to start with a free tier before committing. The lack of independent audit is the main gap vs. Mullvad or ProtonVPN. For privacy-first users who need port forwarding, it's the most affordable option.
Hide.me vs. Alternatives
| Feature | Hide.me8.1/10 | NordVPN9.2/10 | ExpressVPN8.6/10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Score | 8.1 | 9.2 | 8.6 |
| Monthly Price | $4.99/mo | $3.39/mo | $8.32/mo |
| Servers | 2,300+ | 6,400+ | 3,000+ |
| Countries | 91 | 111 | 105 |
| Simultaneous Devices | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Speed (tested) | 625 Mbps (82%) | 730 Mbps (96%) | 755 Mbps (98%) |
| No-Logs Policy | |||
| Independently Audited | |||
| Kill Switch | |||
| Ad Blocker | |||
| Streaming | |||
| Torrenting / P2P | |||
| Port Forwarding | |||
| Obfuscation | |||
| Double VPN | |||
| RAM-Only Servers | |||
| Jurisdiction | Malaysia (outside 5/9/14 Eyes and EU data retention) | Panama (outside 5/9/14 Eyes) | British Virgin Islands |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
All data verified April 2026.